praefectus vigilum

The ''praefectus vigilum'' (, pl.: ''praefecti vigilum'') was, starting with the reign of the Emperor Augustus, the commander of the city guards in Rome (''cohortes vigilum'' or ''vigiles''), whom were responsible for maintaining peace and order at night--a kind of fire and security police. Although less important than the other prefects, the office was considered a first step in order to reach an important position in the imperial administration.

Description

Headquarters

The offices of the ''praefectus vigilum'' were located in the ''Campus Martius'', perhaps in the quadriportico of the theatre of Balbus (along the '' via Lata''), inside the barracks of the First Cohort of ''Vigiles'' ().Lefebvre (2011), p. 185 The reason to think that is that all the dedications found in the remains of these barracks are inscribed in the name of the prefect.Homo (1971), p. 164 It was in this building that the ''praefectus vigilum'' had his offices and his courtroom and it was from there that he left every night to carry out the statutory rounds.

Powers and duties

Without the participation of the Senate or the Roman people, the ''praefectus vigilum'' was appointed by the Emperor for an indefinite period and just as arbitrarily removed again.
He supervised the fire prevention and fire fighting service in the city of Rome. He was also responsible for maintaining order in the streets at night. The Prefect was vested with both military (he was the head of the corps) and civil (judicial) powers, the latter giving him jurisdiction over arsonists, burglars, thieves, robbers and fences. He could impose light sentences (lashes or sticks) but important cases were transferred to the responsibility of the prefect of the city (''praefectus urbi'').Vogler 2007, p. 204'' Digesta'' I.15.1 His staff therefore consisted of two types of personnel, the first military (officers and non-commissioned officers) and the second civilian (regular administrative staff).Homo (1971), p. 165
Each night, the prefect must personally lead one of the surveillance rounds and circulate in the town throughout the night.Homo (1971), p. 177''Digesta'' I.15.3 He had the right to search private homes to check whether fire safety standards were being respected.Lefebvre (2011), p. 186
The ''praefectus vigilum'' was assisted by a ''subpraefectus'' and ''tribuni'', who on their part were backed by civil servants.
From the end of the fourth century onwards, the organisation of the Corps was modified. The prefect of the watchmen was placed under the orders of the prefect of the city, of whom he became one of the heads of department.Homo (1971), p. 183

Prestige of the function

The Prefect of Vigils was not a magistrate, but a member of the equestrian order and an imperial commissioner (prefect) appointed by the emperor. Later this position was also filled by senators.Vgl. Wilhelm Adolf Becker, Joachim Marquardt: ''Handbuch der römischen Alterthümer''. Vol. II.3. Leipzig 1849, p. 285. His position was considered inferior to the other prefectures of Rome, like the ''praefectus urbi'', '' annonae'' and '' praetorio'', which were considered more prestigious. It was considered a first step for knights seeking to climb the ladder of public offices.Salles (2010) p. 61

The ''subprefectus vigilum''

In Rome

From the 2nd century onwards, under the reign of Trajan, the prefect had more and more legal powers and the presence of a sub-prefect became necessary. One of the first sub-prefects was Gaius Maesius Tertius, appointed in 113. The sub-prefect of the ''vigiles'' had his own offices, similar to those of his chief of service, but with a smaller staff. When necessary, he replaced the prefect.Homo (1971) p. 166 The position of sub-prefect represented one of the ''centenarii'' of the career of the procurator (''procurator centenarius'' was the governor of a part of a province). The position was accessible through the regular career but '' primipili'' could also access it directly. According to Hans-Georg Pflaum, a ''subpraefectus vigilum'' got a wage of 100,000 ''sestertii''.Pflaum (1960), p. 174–175.

In Ostia

Under Claudius, a corps of ''vigiles'' was detached from the garrison of Rome and stationed in the port of Ostia. This detachment was temporarily placed under the orders of a sub-prefect during the 3rd century, who was himself under the orders of the prefect of the ''Vigiles'' of Rome. There would then have been two sub-prefects of the ''vigiles'', one in Rome and the other in Ostia.

History

Republican Age

During the Republic, the firefighting service was limited to groups of slaves made available by wealthy individuals, such as one set up by Marcus Licinius Crassus and one set up by Marcus Egnatius Rufus while ''aedile'' in 21 BC. Their number, less than 600 "firemen", remained very insufficient in the face of the risk of fire which increased with the accelerated urbanisation of the city from the end of the Republic.Salles (2010) p. 62-64

Creation of the ''vigiles urbani''

The night watches were reorganised by Augustus in 6 AD because of the frequent fires in the city, which were especially dangerous at night. He created a larger and better (militarily) organised corps, the '' vigiles urbani''. They were led by the ''praefectus vigilum'' and divided into seven cohorts (of 560 or 1,000 men each), each covering two of the fourteen city districts ( ''regiones''), and each led by a '' tribunus''. The ''vigiles'' were mainly recruited among the freedmen, and therefore enjoyed a lower standing than the regular army, but the corps was also open to citizens of the provinces of the Empire and later to Roman citizens.

The troops received accommodation in the cityHollady (1962) p. 80 and, although initially paid from the state treasury, the large sums needed soon forced the emperor to demand new taxes or increase existing taxes dedicated to financing the corps.Hollady (1962) p. 48

The ''vigiles'' were distributed throughout all quarters of the city, kept watch at night and ensured that fires were quickly detected and extinguished. As fire guards, they were equipped with rope ladders, fire hooks and other extinguishing equipment and trained to climb from wall to wall.

The ''praefectus vigilum'' under the Julio-Claudian dynasty

The first known ''praefectus vigilum'' dates back to the middle reign of Emperor Tiberius, and during the period of existence of the ''cohortes vigilum'' (about three centuries) only 43 prefects are known. Among these, only seven are mentioned by historians, and all for reasons unrelated to their duty.
As the commander of a significant force directly available in Rome, the ''praefectus vigilum'' became important as early as during the reign of Emperor Tiberius, where his confidant Lucius Aelius Seianus, when he lost favour with the emperor, was arrested by officials of this office. Under Emperor Claudius, the ''praefectus vigilum'' was executed in 48 for being involved in an attempted coup.

Neronian Fire

It is noteworthy that no ancient author mentions the ''praefectus vigilum'' who was in office during the great Neronian fire of 64. Until two years earlier, the office had been held by Ofonius Tigellinus, who had been appointed '' praefectus praetorio''. It is therefore possible that at the time of the fire the office was vacant or that the person in charge (probably Plotius Firmus) was still inexperienced. Moreover, Tigellinus would certainly have brought with him the best of his collaborators among the fire brigade after his promotion, depriving the new ''praefectus'' of valuable assistants. This could explain why Tigellinus took command of the operations against the fire, using also the Praetorian Guards, and managed to bring it under control after six days. When the fire broke out again, he was reduced to the extreme measure of demolishing the buildings that had not yet been touched by the flames (including his possessions) in a last-ditch attempt to stop the fire.

After the 2nd century

The office existed under later emperors, but it was not a permanent one. Starting under Gordianus III (), the ''vigiles'' could receive further duties in the military: the ''Praefectus Vigilum'' could accomplish such duties in the provinces after being appointed '' dux''. This has been recorded for the first time in 241–242 and is known from a letter written in 248–249 by Philip the Arab and his homonymous son and co-ruler, dispatched to the ''Praefectus Vigilum''.

The office also existed in Constantinople in the later imperial period.

Known ''praefecti vigilum''

This is a list of the known ''praefecti vigilum''. Only 43 prefects were known as of 1992. The main reason for this is that the ''fasti'' with regard to this office are largely incomplete. Consequently, identification is possible mainly through epigraphic findings and secondary through classical sources.

Julio-Claudian dynasty (2 BC – AD 68)

* Before 31: Naevius Sutorius MacroSandra J. Bingham.

The praetorian guard in the political and social life of Julio-Claudian Rome
''. Ottawa: National Library of Canada (1997), p. 63.
* 31: Publius Graecinius Laco
* ? – 48: Decrius Calpurnianus
* 48 – 51: Julius Pelignus
* Before 44: Cornelius Laco
* ? – 54: Laelianus
* 5 – 60 Annaeus Serenus.
* 60? – 62: Gaius Ofonius Tigellinus

Year of the Four Emperors (AD 68 – 69)

* ? – 69: Plotius Firmus

Flavian dynasty (AD 69 – 96)

* 9 – 79 Gaius Tettius Cassianus Priscus
* 1 – 130 Sextus Sammius Voltina
* 92: Sextus Procilius Papirianus (dubious)

Five Good Emperors to Didius Julianus (AD 96 – 193)

* Before 102 – ?: Gnaeus Octavius Titinius Capito
* At least 111 – 113: Quintus Rammius Martialis
* 17 – 138 Titus Haterius Nepo (attributed)
* 149: on?ors
* At least 156-158: Gaius Tattius Maximus
* ? – 158: Titus Furius Victorinus
* 61 – 166 Umbricius Aemilianus
* 166 – 168 circa: Marcus Bassaeus Rufus
* 175 (attested): Quintus Cervidius Scaevola
* 178 – 180: Tiberius Claudius Vibianus Tertullus
* 181 (attested): Sempronius Laetus
* 190 (attested): Aelius Julianus
* 191 (attested): Marcus Clodius Catullus

Severan dynasty (AD 193 – 235)

* 193 – 196: Gaius Fulvius Plautianus
* 97 – 202? Titus Flavius Pomptina Magnus
* 203 – 205: Junius Rufinus
* March 205 – 208: Gnaeus Marcius Rustius Rufinus
* 208 – 211: Gaius Julius Quintilianus
* 212 (attested): Quintus Cerellius Apollinaris
* Summer 213 (attested): Lucius Valerius Datus
* 215 – 217: Quintus Marcius Dioga
* 217 (attested): Valerius Titanianus
* 218? – 222: Gordius
* 222 – ?: Gaius Julius Paternus
* 226 (attested): Aelius Florianus

Crisis of the Third Century (AD 235 – 285)

* 35 – 238 Herennius Modestinus
* 239 – 242: Gnaeus Domitius Philippus
* 242 – 243: Valerius Valens
* 244 (attested): Faltonius Restitutianus.
* 259 (attested): Lucius Petronius Taurus Volusianus
* 269 (attested): Julius Placidianus

Tetrarchy to Constantine I (AD 285 – 324)

* 314? – 326: Julius Antiochus
* Shortly before 330?: Av... Maximilianus

Late Empire (AD 324 – 476)

* 24 – 337 Postumius Isidorus
* 33 – 337 Rupilius Pisonianus
* 67 – 375 Flavius Maximus
* 75 – 400 Publius Aelius Apollinaris

Uncertain Years

* P. Cassius ...
* 2nd Century: Anonymous
* 3rd Century, between Severan dynasty and Tetrarchy: Aur(elius) Concord us* ..oNSA, 1914, 186

References

Footnotes

Citation notes

Sources

*
* William Smith (Ed.): ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities''. Boston, 2. Ed. 1859. Sub voce„''Exercitus, Cohortes Vigilum''“. p. 510.
* Hans-Georg Pflaum: ''Les carrières procuratoriennes équestres sous le Haut-Empire Romain'', Paris 1960, Vol. 1
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* Miriam T. Griffin: ''Seneca. A Philosopher in Politics''. Clarendon Paperbacks, 1992. Appendix: ''Annaeus Serenus as Prefect of the Watch''. ISBN 0-19-814774-0.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Praefectus vigilum
Ancient Roman titles


Heads of local government
Political office-holders in ancient Rome
History of firefighting
Military ranks of ancient Rome